If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Please offer any advice

Hi all...

I have a situation that I have been waffling over and I would really appreciate some opinions/advice on how to proceed.

Situation: tomorrow I have an employee review. I am fairly confident that everything will be fine from them towards me as my performance with the company has always rated me the highest marks and raises in pay. Nothing has changed in my performance, clients write beautiful cards and letters about my care. I like the people running the company on an interpersonal level. They are good people, from the owner of the company on down.

There is the moment in the review when I am asked if I have any questions or concerns. I do have some serious concerns. They are substantial in that I have direct knowledge of several instances where other caregivers have provided severely inadequate, potentially harmful, care. The real issue here is that the company is playing a little loose with who they hire, their qualifications, and matching caregiver abilities to the level of care needed to certain medically sensitive clients. In other words, they are legally smudging lines of care in order to obtain clients by promising competent, trained professionals but the caregivers they are sending to these clients are not even certified by the state. I usually end up relieving these caregivers and have, in several instances, had to do triage because medical issues weren't addressed and the patient needed treatment yesterday. In the most severe instance, the caregiver provided such inadequate care that the patient actually was at risk for dying because they weren't supposed to be receiving liquids or food and the caregiver had been trying to force slushy down them earlier in the day.

Dilemma: Do I, or do I not, state this concern? Why the waffle? Because I do not intend to stay with this company much longer but they are one of two work references I have at the moment. I've only lived here for two years and have been with this company since it opened a year and a half ago. This would be a stellar reference. The company, so far, is well thought of in the community.

If I state my concern I am afraid that red flags will be raised with them that I am a potential whistle blower and I will start to get into some trouble. There isn't anything they can legally point to that would be cause for firing me, but they can stop giving me clients. They might try to drum up *something that would make me look bad (what, I haven't any idea) and I'm afraid that they would try to make it hard for me to get a good reference. In the best case scenario, they would acknowledge that this is happening (which they might have done since, in November, I noticed that they let several caregivers go) and tighten things up.

At stake here are two issues: one, I do have direct knowledge that they are running loose legally with what they state is the level of care they provide and the reality of what they are actually providing. Do I have a responsibility to report them to someone?

Two, the biggest concern for me is for the clients. My heart just breaks when I see these things happen. I am very concerned that someone will get seriously injured, or worse, due to inadequate care. Something awful happening would bring the company to the attention of the authorities and then this would all be addressed...but at what cost? Someone's well-being, or someone's life? That is a very high stake.

WWTBD? WW all of y'all suggest?? Am I being a complete git in this case? Should I speak up and forget any concerns to myself?

Lynn,
When I see something I know is wrong (for example: against company policy/ rules/regulations) I always tend to point it out immediately, as long as I can do so legally, as breaking the law (for example: speaking out against a commander in chief while in uniform as that would be against policy too.) I can not seem to help it and it is usually pretty spontaneous. I guess it is in my nature.

There may sometimes be instances where the law is wrong or unjust, but I am only in a position to do anything about that rarely.

While I am not thinking much about references now, Or getting fired, I have also not received a promotion since May of 1999. But I have a clear conscience, and rarely have lost rest over a decision I have made to call someone on the carpet to be held accountable.

Is there anyway you could suggest group training or refresher courses for staff members? Maybe the company could then advertise their staff have the most up to date qualifications and so hopefully turn around any costs of training back to profit. This would also mean you do not have to point the finger at anyone in particular. Failing that maybe they have personal development policy and you could suggest to the not so good staff they include training when they have their meetings. perhaps on the lines of improving their CVs.

If you looked at the worse case scenario then someone losing their job is better than a patient dying or becoming very ill.

Politics is local indeed! Given the personalities involved, what is the most effective means of delivering a message? Personally, I have always found the informal route best, and seldom (once) used a review to deliver a message.

Office politics gets labeled as Machiavellian, but it can also be about empathy. Figuring out peoples strengths and weaknesses and then helping them. Sell an idea based on how this helps someone else and they will champion your cause too.

I assume your boss or HR coworkers also get reviewed. For someone, having a screwup due to poor care is also a stain on their career. Perhaps you could suggest internal continuing education, a seminar on what can go wrong and how to fix things or manage risks. Who could you help at work by helping make this happen?

Now go buy then a cup of coffee, ask them how they are doing and listen.
Then go back figure out how to sell them few days later and pitch them on how you can help.

Finally http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Not-Method-G ... 076790060X, by a former army chief of staff. It is one of those strategic leadership books , but he raises an interesting point on getting meaningful feedback up the chain of command. Give the people beneath you the latitude to admit mistakes without retribution. In this way senior management will get honest feedback of how their training methods are working. Hearing about the screw-ups is far more valuable, every strategic plan has mistakes and good feedback allows it to be modified for the better.

From the information you have given, I agree with the others that you should express your concerns (as diplomatically as possible). There is little room for incompetence in any medicine-related field, so if you see it, I think you should report it. Put another way, if others are being harmed or neglected (or potentially harmed in your estimation) you should at least raise an appropriate alarm.

Another selfish consideration: If, by chance, one of these coworkers contributed to someone's death in the future because of the issues you cited, you would carry a heavy burden of guilt (not to mention legal issues if the company were sued and it came out in deposition that you had previous concerns but did not voice them).

There are other always other jobs, no job is worth abandoning what you think is right.

wow...thanks to everyone so far!! I'm getting narrowed in on what feels like the best thing to do. However, anyone else, please feel free to add whatever seems good. I'm still fence sitting.

Regarding the in-house educational component: This is yet another aspect that I feel uneasy with. Clients are told that all caregivers attend mandatory monthly educational classes. In the 18 months I've worked for the company; and that is the full 18 months they've been in business; they have not offered a single class. I'm just waiting for a client or family member to ask, "So, what kind of classes have you attended?" Then I'm forced into a very sticky situation, indeed.

Again, thank you all for your help. I appreciate it more than I can say.

This is, of course, a dilemma. No one clear "right" course, pros and cons on all sides. Dangers each way. Ah, such is life!

As with all tough decisions, your heart will tell you what to do ... as much as your brain will weigh the ramifications. In fact, I bet you already know pretty much what you will do (most people do when they ask for this kind of guidance, and are just seeking support and confidence).

The Precepts simply guide us to act, as best we can, in the way our heart tells us is most helpful and healthful, and avoids harm, to our self and others ... knowing that there is no ultimate gap between our self and others. But, from that point, we have to stick our finger in the wind and take our best educated guess.

If you go one way, folks may loose their jobs, if you go another way patients may suffer.

You are also left to weigh your self interest versus the interests of others. Buddhism heavily weighs the interests of others over that of the self, but that does not mean that you should commit self destruction for your self and your family. It is a dilemma. There are battles were it is necessary to jump on the grenade, others where you need to run and fight another day. This is perhaps the toughest balancing act, and you must find the path here.

Now, speaking from a practical solution, is there some way to phrase this for your bosses as potential legal liability? Companies understand that, and tell them that your concern is both patients and the best interests of the organization. Phrase it in a way that they will understand that you have seen risks and that can mean financial loss plus pain to patients. You might be able to accomplish your purpose AND come out a hero. Also, if it comes to it, I am wondering if Washington State has some confidential "Whistle Blower" protection if you were to report this to an outside regulatory agency? You may want to consult with a friendly lawyer in Washington on this and see if you can make a confidential report. Many states (and Washington is a pretty progressive one) have laws to protect confidential reports just like in this case.

Would it be an option to voice your concerns anonymously? For example, you could send a detailed letter to the person you trust most in the company, and see if anything changes. If not, you can always try out other possibilities.

I reread your post after seeing everyones comments, I missed the part where you mentioned that someone could have been seriously hurt. The tone of my replies did not reflect the gravity of your entire message.

While I advocate the approach I wrote about, it is a long-term view and does not address the crux of your problem if someone is in immanent danger. The liability question Jundo raises is something that I have also found effective and have gently raised from time to time with either operations or internal legal people, but in my case, this is never a question of personal harm, just monetary.

Anyway, I hope its evident that I am still in your corner, if I can help in any way, you are more than welcome to reach out.

I have a Plan A, but am totally aware that, when sitting in the actual situation, I will have entered a flow that may dictate coming up with a Plan Q on the fly. There is the ideal and the actual, as ever.

I will let you all know how it went. I truly don't know what I will say, but, with meditation in motion to guide, I think I will be able to find the Middle Way.

I just got out of the Army, so let's try this analogy...
If you and I were in the desert, and you saw a guy sneaking up on me, but couldn't tell who it was... friendly or enemy... would you say something or keep your mouth shut?
If you saw a guy in our unit stealing from my locker, would you tell me, or protect him?
If you saw a guy swiping my ammo before a mission to hide the fact that he'd forgotten his own, would you tell me, or let me leave the gate inadequately equipped?
Assuming the answers, I'll add one more question: if you were th employer, and someone else were aware of the situation, would you be more upset if they told you or failed to?
The company and people recieving care deserve thr truth, in my own humble opinion.

I know that I am late to the dance but the way you present the issue suggests the answer that is internal. The struggle indicates a healthy polarity in your decision making but the spirit within you as a health care professional comes through to me. I am interested in hearing how it goes today.
David aka PapaDoc

Well, my motto for a long time has been: The Universe is self-correcting. And, indeed, once again this has been proven!

I went in, got the sterling review, the pay raise, and then, before asking me for my feedback, I was told that they want to move me up within the company into a supervisory role on the newly formed "Safety Committee." This Safety Committees tasks will be to oversee and ensure the safety of both clients and caregivers, as well as making sure all legal guidelines of care are being followed through the appropriate match of client with a caregiver's abilities and training. The first meeting is later in the month and they asked me to bring any and all suggestions I might have regarding this matter with me to put on the table to start the discussions.

They then asked if I had any feedback. I told them that I was delighted, I accepted the new position (which doesn't conflict with also doing caregiving) and I would be happy to offer my suggestions at the first meeting.

Soooooo....how's that? All and all you could have knocked me over with a feather at the way it turned out and it seems that the people I work with and for are, indeed, conscientious and trying to do what needs to be done to improve their situation and work environment for everyone concerned.

And, once again, I thank you all for your wonderful suggestions and thoughts. It really was incredibly helpful and I am, once again, impressed with the level of care and wisdom this sangha provides across all these miles.

I went in, got the sterling review, the pay raise, and then, before asking me for my feedback, I was told that they want to move me up within the company into a supervisory role on the newly formed "Safety Committee." This Safety Committees tasks will be to oversee and ensure the safety of both clients and caregivers, as well as making sure all legal guidelines of care are being followed through the appropriate match of client with a caregiver's abilities and training. The first meeting is later in the month and they asked me to bring any and all suggestions I might have regarding this matter with me to put on the table to start the discussions.

They then asked if I had any feedback.

Holy cow, Lynn! That couldn't have worked out better. Congrats and good luck on the safety committee. You'll be an excellent asset.

Excellent! So now when your sticking it to the man,
your sticking it to yourself.

Yes, and, if they sussed that maybe I was sitting on the edge of blowing a whistle, they sure did the smart thing, eh? Give me a carrot and draw me further into the bosom of the company in an attempt to ensure additional loyalties, etc. Meh. I am not unaware of these tactics, but I think it is all with a pure intent rather than an attempt to cloud my judgements. Anyway, they'll certainly get my drift at the first meeting. ;-)

I think the one point that's missing is how through our buddhist practice these affairs and politics should be seen for what they are. What are those people, what is the situation really? If a situation is handled truthfully, with dignity, mindfully, and openly, then what wrong can there be? How can "I" possibly be effected by any outcome? "I" can be really tricky and I'm sorry, but this talk of how things are going to effect "You" Lynn is a little of topic. No matter what those people do or think they are still "you". Find your strength through your practice and do what you feel is right. Come on Buddha.

From one perspective you speak Truth. But from another we have to worry that "I" might be out of a job or "I" might be responsible indirectly for a patient being hurt. Sometimes, even if we handle a situation truthfully, with dignity, mindfully, and openly, we have to worry about such outcomes. Corporations often do not appreciate such characteristics in their employees, even if the Buddha does. I think.

But from another we have to worry that "I" might be out of a job or "I" might be responsible indirectly for a patient being hurt. Sometimes, even if we handle a situation truthfully, with dignity, mindfully, and openly, we have to worry about such outcomes. Corporations often do not appreciate such characteristics in their employees, even if the Buddha does. I think.

Well...the choice is yours. It is possible to make a decision that reflects what the situation needs. No? However; if practice is off then the decision making is off. I have a lot of faith in this practice, it won't make you superman, but it will help you see more clearly a given situation and without hesitation act or not.

Of course work is neccessary. What you do with it is your decision. If a buddha thinks too much about the outcome of their actions, then that Buddha is not acting, but is caught up in their thinking. Everyone has the answers in them. Why is Lynn asking for advice when the only advice she needs is her own or the advice she gets from the cushion? If she makes a wrong decision, then she makes a wrong decision. Do what needs to be done.

Will, the moment I think that sangha is not a useful refuge because all "I" have to do is sit on a cushion and "I" will have all the answers "I" need is the moment "I" am truly mired in delusional thinking and am most likely to create suffering for myself and others.

This is why sanzen exists, this is why we seek each other out. Yes, ultimately, my Buddha Nature always knows the Middle Way in each situation. But, I am not enlightened. I am still caught in my greeds, angers, and delusions. I am human and experience confusion and get caught in dilemmas and walk straight into the Don't Know mind. I have no problem asking for help when I really need it. I do not see it as a sign of weakness or a failure in my practice. Quite the opposite: for me, it is a greater sign of strength, of trust, and of a maturity in my practice. It is a willingness to be vulnerable and transparent before the sangha.

Will, the moment I think that sangha is not a useful refuge because all "I" have to do is sit on a cushion and "I" will have all the answers "I" need is the moment "I" am truly mired in delusional thinking and am most likely to create suffering for myself and others.

hmmm...I guess from my perspective, a Soto Zen Sangha is a group of people who come together to practice Soto Zen in the sense of dealing with the things that come up in their experience through practicing. Always revolving around sitting and practice. There is usually a teacher in the Sangha who has achieved some amount of realization who guides students on the path of realization using whatever means she/he sees fit. Why does that guy teach? Well, I guess, he must have realized something that he sees as being useful or true. However; I have limited experience with traditional Sanghas.

Yes. There are probably moments in your life where you feel the need to take refuge in the Sangha. We do get confused sometimes. However; for that, I say sit.

Blah, blah, blah is all I hear. I'm not convinced by the frustration, confusion, anger, greed, worry that is so intimately attached to experience. Knowing what these things are is, I think, part of the reason why we practice. Insight, Realization, Truth, non-grasping. Shattering the mirror. Knowing fully who and what we are, by sitting everyday and moment. Learning moment to moment the ways that we cause trouble and make mistakes. Not being convinced by our little worries and feelings. Not ignoring them, but coming back to the moment and just letting them go. learning how we get confused and what confusion is. Building character, strength, compassion, understanding, intimacy and EXCRUTIATING HONESTY. understanding hesitation, fear, lust, passion, tension, calm, joy, sadness. Learning to deal with people, understanding people, understanding ourself, Noticing how, when we are angry, the person we are talking to, if not mindful, has a reaction to that. No? You never noticed that before? You never noticed that when you feel uncomfortable or tense that sometimes this reflects on others? However; what ever insight we might have, WE KEEP SITTING, standing, walking, eating, working, and lying down :shock:

However; sitting is the base of the rest. Myself anyway.

You see. This is where modern society clashes with a certain teaching: "Don't get caught up in useless affairs."

If a buddha thinks too much about the outcome of their actions, then that Buddha is not acting, but is caught up in their thinking. Everyone has the answers in them. Why is Lynn asking for advice when the only advice she needs is her own or the advice she gets from the cushion? If she makes a wrong decision, then she makes a wrong decision. Do what needs to be done.

I guess it all comes back to the shut up and sit (or practice) motto.

Do you agree Buddha Jundo?

Gassho Will

Well, I agree to a point. I do not think that the cushion is the source of all answers. Nor do I think that the Buddha was necessarily about always acting without thinking and weighing (in some situations, such as swinging an ink brush or playing a flute or jumping on a skateboard, perhaps ... but other actions in life take weighing and planning, like the great planning it probably took when Dogen decided to build Eiheiji temple.). Nor do I think that anyone, even the Buddha, has ever had "all the answers" in them about ordinary, everyday, mundane choices in life. Even the Buddha had to weigh what he would do, and how he would do it, in his teaching.

After he had attained Enlightenment, the Buddha sat beneath the bodhi tree for seven days in a deep meditation. When he emerged from it, he went and sat under a different tree to consider what he had come to understand .... The Buddha, too, had doubts about teaching and was hesitant to do so, for reasons unknown but subject to much learned discussion. Legend says that the Buddha decided to teach only after the god Brahma encouraged him to do so. He first thought he should approach his former teachers Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta, but they had died.http://www.as.miami.edu/phi/bio/Buddha/bud-life3.htm

In fact, what the cushion presents to us is our great freedom as human beings, and that means the freedom to make choices. There is nothing about enlightenment that would tell someone absolutely and definitively, I think, whether to have a cheese sandwich or a pasta dish for dinner, which school to attend, what to do in the workplace in a situation like Lynn described. So, in summary, I think the Buddha was enlightened about Reality and the Whole Universe, but not about cheese sandwiches!

Where I agree with you, Will, is that the cushion will clear our thinking and perceptions in important ways ... ego and emotions are reduced or dropped, greed anger and ignorance not our guide, the noise within the head reduced and an inner voice better heard, we can understand the motivations of ourselves and others with heightened clarity. Finally, when a decision is reached, we will pursue it with a steadier heart and balance. Yes, that is true.

What Lynn wrote about Sanzen and Sangha is exactly right I think. Which reminds me, if anyone wants to do some Sanzen, drop me a line.

I think that this is a wonderful statement of so many of the fruits of Zazen ...

Insight, Realization, Truth, non-grasping. Shattering the mirror. Knowing fully who and what we are, by sitting everyday and moment. Learning moment to moment the ways that we cause trouble and make mistakes. Not being convinced by our little worries and feelings. Not ignoring them, but coming back to the moment and just letting them go. learning how we get confused and what confusion is. Building character, strength, compassion, understanding, intimacy and EXCRUTIATING HONESTY. understanding hesitation, fear, lust, passion, tension, calm, joy, sadness. Learning to deal with people, understanding people, understanding ourself, Noticing how, when we are angry, the person we are talking to, if not mindful, has a reaction to that. No? You never noticed that before? You never noticed that when you feel uncomfortable or tense that sometimes this reflects on others? However; what ever insight we might have, WE KEEP SITTING

That's a keeper that I am going to refer to from time to time. Nicely said.

But, still, I think that it doesn't mean we will always know how to act in a particular situation, and we will sometimes face dilemnas. In those cases, we should feel free to think of all the possible outcomes, weigh pros and cons, and ask friends ... including Sangha friends ... for advise. That's what I do.

Gassho, J

PS - While making my sandwich, it hit me that the Buddha would have probably just eaten whatever was in his begging bowl. So, not the best example. But, sure you get the point anyway.

please give advice

Well, don't you know, after reading Will's post, I had to go looking for what in the heck he was referring to and Bingo! I found it.
Quite an interesting read this one, had me on the edge of my seat.
It reminds me of that zen teaching story 'we'll see'
The farmer's son has been away and comes home just as it's harvest time and everyone in the village says 'Oh, what good luck' and the father says 'we'll see.'
The son falls off the wagon hauling hay and breaks his leg and can't help with the rest of the harvest and all the villagers say 'Oh, how terrible' and the father says 'We'll see.' The next day the soldiers come through the village and round up all the fit able bodied men to press them into service and the son can't go with his broken leg and all the villager's say "Oh, what good luck" and the father says 'We'll see....'

A practicing buddhist in the workplace is a very good idea--every workplace ought to have one! (at least)

I for one, am experiencing horrendous things at work. Quite quite despicable.
I really don't care to write it all out, because I've been living it enough already! I'm taking it day by day and doing what I can. If I didn't have my years of practice under my belt, I'd probably be a basket case, but as it is, everything there is to enjoy, I enjoy--even as I am out on a professional limb, with a tiger above and tiger below--right now--a delicious, scrumptious strawberry!
Maybe someday I'll be able to distill the mean spirited minutia into something coherent which may benefit others, but for now, I'm up to my arm pits in alligators.
The obvious would be--leave--and surely that will happen at some point, in the meantime, I can do my best: my best while I am where I am: I can't just walk out, nor is that what I want to do. I made a conscious decision not to take any of it 'personally,' so my interactions are without any such emotional undercurrent.
While I am being targeted, I do not feel myself to be a 'victim'
I can't just walk away, but nothing is 'forcing' me to do anything: I am not invested in outcome. There is confidence it will work out--but no investment as to what has to happen to make things 'work out.'
It's a real 'We'll see' alright!

Anyway--back to this particular thread--I think lay practice is exactly like this:
the issues of an ordinary person in the daily life of the here and now. We can't help but help each other as we get off the zafu and enter places frought with approaches to others that don't square with the BB's (buddhist basics).
It's not an us and them, at least I'm not finding it that way--
it's more of an us and us. One big boat......heading to the other shore....
continuously heading to the other shore.. gone, gone gone...having never left, Bodhisvaha!

Anyway, thanks for a very good thread. Good luck Lynn, and 'we'll see!'
keishin